Balkan Wars. 1912-13. Balkan League defeats Ottoman Empire. Turkish territory distributed. General dissatisfaction termed the “powder keg of Europe”.

Ballot Act. 1872. Established secret ballot in English Parliamentary elections.

Baptism. Purification by water as practised by a wide variety of religions.

Baroque Art. 1600-1750. Orig in Italy, spread across W. Europe. Architecture: Ornate style characterized by stucco, frescoes, rood screens. Vanbrugh. Bernini’s Barberini Palace. Music: Counterpoint vs Renaissance polyphony. Opera, cantata. Bach. Monteverdi. Vivaldi. Painting: Dynamic, emotional. Caravaggio. Reni. Rubens.Van Dyck. Rococo.

Barrault, Jean-Louis. 1910-94. French actor, producer. F. Théâtre d’Orsay.

Becquerel, Henri. 1852-1908. French discoverer of Uranium radioactivity, 1896. Curie.

Behaviourism. 1913. Actions are response to physical stimuli. Skinner. Watson. Pavlov.

Behrens, Peter. 1868-1940. German modern architect. AEG Factory 1909.

Behring, Emil. 1854-1917. German bacteriologist: founded Immunology. Diphtheria (1892), Tetanus (1904) serums.

Berlin-Rome Axis. 1936-45. Axis.

Bernhardt, Sarah. 1844-1923. French dramatic actress. Roles in Phèdre, La Tosca.

Black Watch. 1725-. Scottish Highland Regiment.

Blaue Reiter (Blue Rider). 1911-14. Organization of Abstract Expressionist artists. Kandinsky. Klee.

Blitzkrieg. 1938-45. German battle tactic. Rapid, deep assault with tanks supported from air.

Bloomer, Amelia. 1818-94. US temperance, women’s rights activist. Wore bloomers.

Blue Laws. US laws that control Sunday activities. 1781 originals on blue paper.

Blues and Greens. 5-9C. Byzantine political factions. Nika Revolt.

Bollandists. 1629-. Belgian Jesuits. Update Acta Santorium, (Lives of Roman Catholic saints).

Bolsheviks. (“Majority”) 1903-52. Revolutionary faction of Social Democratic Workers Party for dictatorship of Proletariat. =Communist. Mensheviks.

Booth, John Wilkes. 1838-65. US actor. Shot Lincoln, 1865.

Bordet, Jules. 1870-1961. Belgian bacteriologist, immunologist.

Boston Massacre. 1770. British soldiers kill 5 colonists rioting vs Townshend Acts. A cause of the American Revolution.

Boston Tea Party. 1773. Colonials dump tea cargo to protest tax. Led to Intolerable Acts.

Bowditch, Nathaniel. 1773-1838. US self-educated astronomer, mathematician. New American Practical Navigator 1802.

Bradlaugh, Charles. 1833-91. Radical atheist MP, 1880-. Oath Act, permitting affirmation for swearing in.

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